Peugeot GTi masterplan revealed as boss rules out hot SUVs

Peugeot is “working on” more GTi models to follow next year’s hot E-208, the brand’s leader Alain Favey has told Auto Express. 

Soon after taking over in February the new CEO fast-tracked development of the Peugeot E-208 GTi hot hatch. “When I joined clearly some work had been done already, but it was not considered to be worthy of being launched for a million reasons,” reveals Favey during a meeting with Auto Express at Stellantis’ UK HQ.

So Favey lit a fire under Stellantis Motorsport - whose day job is engineering the 9X8 endurance racer along with Peugeot and Lancia rally cars - as well as Peugeot design. The team had four months to create the GTi’s performance makeover – flared wheelarches, front and rear spoilers, 18-inch alloys – to hit the deadline of a Le Mans 2025 unveil.          

With its wider tracks, trick suspension, sticky tyres and hefty 276bhp distributed across the front axle by a limited slip differential, the electric 208 GTi should be a serious piece of kit. Favey’s passion for the project shines through, promising a car whose class-leading power-to-weight ratio should dismantle zero to 62mph in 5.7-seconds.

Chassis set-up work is now intensifying, with the engineering team working to a deadline of June 2026 for the finished GTi’s commercial debut at the Le Mans 24 Heures.

More GTi models will follow

Given Favey’s passion for the project and the excellence of previous hot 308s, could more GTi models follow? “Yeah, definitely. At least we’re working on it. There will not be another GTi if it’s not a real GTi. But we are looking at different options,” he reveals.

The boss has ruled out pure combustion performance cars given punitive French taxes and potential fines for not meeting carbon targets, so could a GTi use a hybrid powertrain? 

“It could be a hybrid,” he agrees. “But we don’t want to fool anybody. People are such aficionados of hot hatches. You really need to have a product that is astonishing on the market, and the E-208 GTi will be.”

Driving sensations is one of Favey’s key pillars for the Peugeot brand in future, along with high quality and charismatic design. “We are known for our road-holding and a very specific driving position, our i-Cockpit with a small steering wheel.” The E-208 will also get a more direct steering set-up, which will enhance the car along with the suspension changes. 

Could the GTi brand extend to an SUV, to provide a revenue boost? “No. It is puristic but GTi stands for hot hatch. It’s not a hot SUV. Maybe others do it but we’re not going to do that,” says the boss.

“You will not believe this but we don’t see this as profit generation. It’s about sport, that’s really what it is. We don’t do Le Mans for profit objectives but for brand-building.”

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